National Road Carriers Association) is calling for the Government to provide the specifics needed to address New Zealand’s transport infrastructure deficit.

“How much additional money is required to catch up on the decades of under investment?” said NRC chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers.

“The Government’s announcement of $250 million for assessing and fixing the roads is a great start, but the final number is going to be significantly higher,” he said.

“What additional resources are needed including staff and machinery to enable work to be carried out quickly?

“Funding is just one of the challenges the re-build faces. Sourcing enough qualified road contractors, engineers, surfacing operators, labourers, foremen, and the list goes on – is going to be a huge challenge.

“What changes to construction methods will be needed to ensure roads are fit for purpose?”

Tighe-Umbers said unless these questions are answered quickly New Zealand will enter the next season of road works without a clear plan.

“The North Island in particular needs an urgent re-think as changing weather patterns have played havoc with this year’s roading programme,” he said.

NRC is calling for a 50-year roading infrastructure plan that is locked-in out of political reach to provide road network resilience.